City of Columbus rebanding in progress

[gtaman]

WRMH how do you do both system types?

Edit. Never mind figured it out. This is one confusing reband.

 

[Rick1959]

Didn't want to start a new thread, so these questions are a bit off topic but Franklin County - Columbus related. Just purchased the Radio Shack Pro 18, have not listened to scanners for years (25plus) so I have some catching up to do.

Is there a PDF or like file that actually gives a more detailed description of frequencies? Many, are easily interpreted but some are not.

Which State Talk Group should I add if I am only interested in monitoring the Highway Patrol for Franklin County?

Thanks guys.

 

[DualReverse]

That's what I thought, but like I said the scanner with the reband table was missing transmissions. If some one else could test this and see if they have the same results it would be greatly appreciated.

Mike, I programmed the reband tables for all my MARCS systems and they all work great, but this is the Columbus system I'm referring to. I'm not doubting you or Tom, you guys are the smartest scanner guys I know, I'm just stating what I have observed. Maybe the Columbus band plan is different than MARCS, I don't know. This is what I am trying to clarify.

Should this rebanded system be programmed as -

Mot Custom/Reband (Type II) or

Mot 800MHz Splinter (Type II)

I tried also, and had the exact same results. I used a non-reprogrammed 780XLT and a reprogrammed BCT8, and found these exact results. I'm only trying to listen to the Columbus system, and the 780XLT is still listening and tracking better than the BCT8.

 

[W8RMH]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.3.4; en-us; LG-LG855 Build/GRJ22) AppleWebKit/533.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/533.1)

OSHP does not use this system. They use MARCS. All the frequencies are listed in the DB by site.

 

[jaded]

Yes, you do need to use a rebanded table with the Columbus system. Several of the new frequencies are splinter channels, which cannot be properly tracked unless you use the rebanded tables.

I've used a Pro-97 in the past with the Columbus systems. This scanner does not natively support rebanding. From what I read, frequencies with a 0 in the fourth decimal place will not tune via trunking, so in the case of this specific system and scanner, two frequencies (853.45000, 853.77500) out of 28 total (including control channels) are affected. Does this sound right?

I'm not sure if I want to move to a new scanner if I'm going to miss only 10% of the conversations (unless my math is wrong).

 

[wa8pyr]

I've used a Pro-97 in the past with the Columbus systems. This scanner does not natively support rebanding. From what I read, frequencies with a 0 in the fourth decimal place will not tune via trunking, so in the case of this specific system and scanner, two frequencies (853.45000, 853.77500) out of 28 total (including control channels) are affected. Does this sound right?

I'm not sure if I want to move to a new scanner if I'm going to miss only 10% of the conversations (unless my math is wrong).

That's more or less correct, but the 10% number isn't always accurate. If the system is really busy, those two channels will get much busier and your chance of missing important transmissions increases. Personally I prefer not to miss transmissions if it can be avoided.

And with both County and City in the initial phases of migrating to digital (starting early next year), investing in a digital-capable scanner is the way to go.

 

[jaded]

And with both County and City in the initial phases of migrating to digital (starting early next year), investing in a digital-capable scanner is the way to go.

I didn't realize they were going digital any time soon. I also have a digital-capable scanner, but it was nice having an entirely separate radio for Franklin County. Sadly, it looks like another generation of scanners is becoming obsoleted. And now with MARCS-IP, I wonder how much longer I can use my digital scanner -- X2/TDMA mode will no doubt start popping up. Any info on what Franklin County is going to be using?

 

[baj76]

Franklin County and Columbus are both complete.

I'm a day late and a dollar short...But thanks for the info..

 

[FireHousesOfOhio]

So if my firmware is updated the only thing I need to change are my primary control channels? I still have the old control channels and they're working fine.

 

[wa8pyr]

So if my firmware is updated the only thing I need to change are my primary control channels? I still have the old control channels and they're working fine.

You also need to make sure you have set the system up as rebanded with the appropriate trunking tables.

 

[FireHousesOfOhio]

Your help is appreciated Tom.

 

[N9JCQ]

Stupid Question time... I assume that the frequency data in teh database is all now current for Columbus? I will be out there again this weekend and I want to make sure I set up before I leave home.

 

[FireHousesOfOhio]

You also need to make sure you have set the system up as rebanded with the appropriate trunking tables.

Not to sound totally stupid when I use Freescan does this automatically happen or is there a setting within the scanner that changes?

 

[W8RMH]

Not to sound totally stupid when I use Freescan does this automatically happen or is there a setting within the scanner that changes?

See Post #20.

 

[budman9mm]

BCT8 Rebanding

Has anyone with a Uniden BCT8 successfully updated their firmware and made the trunking mode successfully work on Columbus Public safety system (Franklin County Public Safety Trunking System, Columbus, Ohio - Scanner Frequencies) ? I've changed to the Motorola Custom II mode and changed my bASE frequency ranges, re-entered the frequencies on the list, yet I still am not able to track any trunks. Are they still in the process of changing over or is something wrong, ie. incorrect frequencies, etc. ?

Bud

 

[jscott02]

budman9mm,

you need to upgrade the firmware on the BCT-8 for it to work on the rebanded systems according to the radio reference wiki article

Rebanding - The RadioReference Wiki

hope this helps

 

[budman9mm]

I have followed that Wiki, and more specifically, the one for the BCT8 and I'm still not able to receive trunks. an anyone tell me if the frequency list is accurate? Also, I keep seeing references to the trunking tables, but I'm unclear on what I need to do with those. Is that the same thing is the bASE plans?

 

[W8RMH]

I have followed that Wiki, and more specifically, the one for the BCT8 and I'm still not able to receive trunks. an anyone tell me if the frequency list is accurate? Also, I keep seeing references to the trunking tables, but I'm unclear on what I need to do with those. Is that the same thing is the bASE plans?

The database is accurate. The problem is in your BCT8.

 

[budman9mm]

The database is accurate. The problem is in your BCT8.

Any thoughts on where to start? I've checked and rechecked and rechecked again my frequencies and my Bank settings for E2-Custom and I changed the plans to accept the proper frequency ranges and offsets.

 

[budman9mm]

Any thoughts on where to start? I've checked and rechecked and rechecked again my frequencies and my Bank settings for E2-Custom and I changed the plans to accept the proper frequency ranges and offsets.

In case anyone runs into the same problem, I ended up clearing the radio back to default settings (Power on while holding state-2-9) and re-entering all the frequencies under E2-CUS - Pro 9F and then defining plans 1 and 2 under bASE for the new tables and everything works fine. I have no idea what was causing the problem, but I've had this radio for a long time and have experimented with a lot of the functionality with the RS232 port over the years, so I have to assume it was something I changed a long time ago.

Happy scanning